I think I have an issue.

[SVTMuscle*]

I think I have a real problem with buying things and thinking of things I cant have yet, but I would really desire in the future. It makes me happy to buy clothes and watches and shoes think about buying cars, houses, etc etc.
I spend a stupid amount of money at Express and Banana Republic constantly buying clothes I'll more than likely never wear but I feel its just nice to have. I never really go out, although I'd like too, but I always buy clothes/jewerly with the mindset I go out alot more than I really do and it just makes me happy buying clothes and stuff... is this kinda common? kind of, pretending to live a lifestyle you wish you had but you dont have?

[Ufa]

Welcome to the real world. We all want things that are out of reach.

[PROTEINSHAKE]

you buy all that nice stuff to bang fat chicks--remember?? either that or you are spoiled....or you have wayyy to much money & wayyy to much time on your hands...get a job..go to the gym..stop shopping!!!! ur like a woman(except for banging fat chicks)

[bigbouncinballs]

fvck express... that sh!t nevers fits a robust gentleman quite right.

[SVTMuscle*]

you buy all that nice stuff to bang fat chicks--remember?? either that or you are spoiled....or you have wayyy to much money & wayyy to much time on your hands...get a job..go to the gym..stop shopping!!!! ur like a woman(except for banging fat chicks)

I'm not spoiled by any means, I have 4 jobs. I watch the show Entourage, and just wish I could live like that. And feel so bored with life.

I'm a personal trainer
I'm a manager at GNC
I operate my own auto-detailing buisness
and
I work in the cash office at a grocery market in my town. I work about 45-50 hours a week. So if Im not in the gym, I'm working. so DO NOT say i'm spoiled.

[PROTEINSHAKE]

well then if you think you work hard for it --then there isnt any problem!! Make money -spend money my brutha.... drinks on you this weekend!!!

[chest6]

sounds like you are spoiled to me

[SkylineGTR]

I do exactly like you...cept I work half the amount....lol...with probably twice the debt....which is more depressing...i barely go out b/c i truly can't stand most people and they annoy the shit outta me...but if i do I know i'd have soem of the best shit....but I'm also in debt like 4 thousand dollarswith only enough to make min. payments...stop buyin while youre ahead...im done with that now...i will never put myself through this again....

[ShnouzedUp]

i have the same damn problem svt. i'll wake up random mornings and just think of somethin i want, then i'll go it + 300 worth of stuff i don't need.

[1badcamaro]

have a little will power, you sound like a woman with all your shopping
Save money and then buy things more important........like a house, then you won't be 30 living with your parents, haha, jk. But seriously, save and buy stuff that will make you money.

[Mizfit]

as long as your not buying on credit it's not a problem

[needmorestrength]

its human nature.. We are satisfied by material possession's, so we think. That is why we feel the need to constantly buy, because they never truly make us happy, and it ends up making us, want and want and want... all IMO though

[mavsluva]

SVT, I know exactly what you're going through. I think we all go through this phase at some point in our lives. I believe people turn to material possessions to make up in the areas to where our lives are lacking. This is very common behavior for those that need instant gratification for being alone and possibly unhappy and depressed. Because think about it. What do most people chose to do when things aren't going their way? Most people look to their comfort zone. And our comfort zones mostly consist of the things that bring shame and uncertainty into our lives.

When I went through a phase such as yours, I began looking to other things such as building new relationships, reaching out to those in need, and did a little volunteering here and there. It's amazing what can happen when you're put in a position to see how awful a lot of other people have it. Sure, you work hard and long hours to have what you have. There's nothing wrong with rewarding yourself for your hard work, but going over the top with your purchases and wants makes you more susceptible to many other problems down the road.

Remember, time is worth more than money. You will always look back and think about what you did with your time, versus what you did with your money. Money will always be available to us, but our time will not.

Grace and peace,
Mavsluva

[perfectbeast2001]

Im always planning on getting something good. Even if its just a good deal on some whey or planning my next cycle. Helps to keep me upbeat and happy. I work seven nights a week so i figure after i paid my bills and bought food ect why not!! Still working towards the Porsche though, it may take a little longer than i hoped!!!!

[SVTMuscle*]

as long as your not buying on credit it's not a problem

well thats the only ok part is that im never in debt, whateever I pay for is cash plus i still have plenty more to spend haha

[Pooks]

Spend some on the Savings account.. and become one of those "my savings account is bigger than yours" people LOL

I bet its fun being one of them.

[SVTMuscle*]

Well the way I see it, as long as all my bills are paid off... theres no sense in having a ton of cash laying around

"You never see a Brinks Truck following a funeral"

[MatrixGuy]

It sounds like you work your butt off bro. If there's things you really want in life and you can kinda afford them, go for it! You only live once. I only wish my income was as good as yours.

[Carlos_E]

If you're growing it's stupid to spend a ton of money on cloths. I wear cloths no more than 6 months -1 year so I don't bother buying expensive shit.

[JohnboyF]

I always want what i cant have

[Polska]

Well the way I see it, as long as all my bills are paid off... theres no sense in having a ton of cash laying around

"You never see a Brinks Truck following a funeral"

why not take the cash you have laying around and invest it? it's true you never see a brinks truck following a funeral but you're not 85. you want to save and invest when you're young so that you're comfortable later

[tiger909]

f uck materialism.........nothin brings me more joy than my health, family, friends, and pecs all theese other "things" are just lame attempts to compensate for lack of the others


its funny, but in a survey of 1000 adults in india and usa, india had a higher responses claiming they were happy, and most that country lives on a few dollars a day...

[firmechicano831]

me too, I was thinking about getting a rolex that I probably won't wear.

[SVTMuscle*]

why not take the cash you have laying around and invest it? it's true you never see a brinks truck following a funeral but you're not 85. you want to save and invest when you're young so that you're comfortable later

Well I dont have enough laying around to really invest it. I plan on starting an IRA and 401k and all that fun stuff when I get a real job/career, but right now, I'm only 20 buying things I like.

And Tiger, I see where you are comming from, and when Im old enough I'm sure nothing will make me happier than having a family of my own and so on, but for right now, I'm 20, in college, no girlfriend, not many close friends in Massachusetts and alot of jobs, so why not spend it on things that make me happy

[chest6]

Well I dont have enough laying around to really invest it. I plan on starting an IRA and 401k and all that fun stuff when I get a real job/career, but right now, I'm only 20 buying things I like.

And Tiger, I see where you are comming from, and when Im old enough I'm sure nothing will make me happier than having a family of my own and so on, but for right now, I'm 20, in college, no girlfriend, not many close friends in Massachusetts and alot of jobs, so why not spend it on things that make me happy

I thought you said this is bad and its a problem? Now you seem to be defending yourself that it is fine...

[Tock]

What you've got is a shopping addiction.
It's not at all uncommon . . . it's one of many ways people deal with unpleasant emotions -- some folks drink booze, some do drugs, some work 24/7, others eat, and some folks become resort to sex to help them feel better.

A 12-step program might help, or you might consider consulting a counselor informed and trained in this problem.

Good luck . . .

-Tock


http://www.webmd.com/content/article/97/104241.htm
Shopping Spree, or Addiction?

What happens when shopping spirals out of control, and in some cases, becomes an addiction? By Heather Hatfield
WebMD Feature Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD






From hitting the mall with your girlfriends on a Saturday afternoon, to holiday spending on gifts that go under the tree, shopping could be called one of America's favorite pastimes.

For most people, it means some new clothes for work or a small trinket for a friend. For others, however, shopping is much more than an enjoyable pastime, and in some cases, it is a real and destructive addiction that can turn into a financial disaster.

"Compulsive shopping and spending are defined as inappropriate, excessive, and out of control," says Donald Black, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Iowa College of Medicine. "Like other addictions, it basically has to do with impulsiveness and lack of control over one's impulses. In America, shopping is embedded in our culture; so often, the impulsiveness comes out as excessive shopping."

Sometimes referred to as "shopoholism," shopping addiction can wreak havoc on a person's life, family, and finances. Experts explain to WebMD why shopping can be so addictive, what the warning signs are, and how to stop the cycle of spending.

Reinforced Shopping

"No one knows what causes addictive behaviors, like shopping, alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling," says Ruth Engs, EdD, a professor of applied health science at Indiana University. "Some of the new evidence suggests that some people, maybe 10%-15%, may have a genetic predisposition to an addictive behavior, coupled with an environment in which the particular behavior is triggered, but no one really knows why."

While the origin of addictions remains uncertain, why addicts continue their destructive behaviors is better understood.

"Individuals will get some kind of high from an addictive behavior like shopping," says Engs. "Meaning that endorphins and dopamine, naturally occurring opiate receptor sites in the brain, get switched on, and the person feels good, and if it feels good they are more likely to do it -- it's reinforced."

So what are the telltale signs that shopping has crossed the line and become an addiction?

Shopoholism

"There are certainly a lot of commonalities among shopoholics and other addicts," says Engs. "For instance, while alcoholics will hide their bottles, shopoholics will hide their purchases."

What else should a concerned family member or friend look out for when they think shopping has become a problem?


Spending over budget. "Often times a person will spend over their budget and get into deep financial trouble, spending well above their income," says Engs. "The normal person will say, 'Oops, I can't afford to buy this or that.' But not someone who has an addiction," explains Engs -- he or she will not recognize the boundaries of a budget.
Compulsive buying. "When a person with a shopping addiction goes shopping, they often compulsively buy, meaning they go for one pair of shoes and come out with 10."
It's a chronic problem. "A shopping addiction is a continuous problem," says Engs. "It's more than two or three months of the year, and more than a once-a-year Christmas spree."
Hiding the problem. "Shopoholics will hide their purchases because they don't want their significant other to know they bought it because they'll be criticized," says Engs. "They may have secret credit card accounts, too. Because this problem affects mostly women, as alcoholism affects mostly men, husbands will all of sudden be told their wife is $20,000-$30,000 in debt and they are responsible, and many times, this comes out in divorce."
A vicious circle. "Some people will take their purchases back because they feel guilty," says Engs. "That guilt can trigger another shopping spree, so it's a vicious circle." And in these people, debt may not be an issue because they're consistently returning clothes out of guilt -- but a problem still exists.
Impaired relationships. "It is not uncommon for us to see impairments in relationships from excessive spending or shopping," says Rick Zehr, vice president of addiction and behavioral services at Proctor Hospital at the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery. "Impairment can occur because the person spends time away from home to shop, covers up debt with deception, and emotionally and physically starts to isolate themselves from others as they become preoccupied with their behavior."
Clear consequences. "It's just like any other addiction -- it has nothing to do with how much a person shops or spends, and everything to do with consequences," says Zehr. "We often get the question around the holidays that because a person spent more money than she intended, does this make her an addict? The answer is no. However, if there is a pattern or a trend or consequences that occur with excessive shopping then the person may be a problem spender -- the hallmark is still loss of control. If they are no longer in control of their shopping but their shopping is in control of them, they've crossed the line."

[SVTMuscle*]

Haha I def dont have 'shopolicism' or whatever because I would never spend a dollar I dont have.

I think it's just because I'm currently bored with life, and a cocky mother fuker who always needs to have nice stuff

[tiger909]

svt im 22 yo......it takes time to realize my point of view, but when u see it, materialism disgusts you

[SVTMuscle*]

svt im 22 yo......it takes time to realize my point of view, but when u see it, materialism disgusts you

I get it from my parents.
my mom went out and bought a brand new lexus the other night.

Valentines day, my dad went out and bought matching him + her Rado watches for him and my mom.

Last night, my mom and bought a sick eliptical machine, which is awesome for me too.

My grandparents are loaded, it's just a standard of living I think

[novastepp]

watch fight club more often...

[SVTMuscle*]

havnt seen that movie in forever, I think I may watch it tomorrow night

[southmadejd]

Bro how do you even fit in Banana Republic's clothes. Their XXL's are big enough for like a 15 year old kid. Seriously they need to re tailor there clothes so they fit people with slightly broader shoulders.....or maybe I should stop shopping in the kids section.

[SVTMuscle*]

Bro how do you even fit in Banana Republic's clothes. Their XXL's are big enough for like a 15 year old kid. Seriously they need to re tailor there clothes so they fit people with slightly broader shoulders.....or maybe I should stop shopping in the kids section.

I agree with that, Banana Republic has some weird ass sizes, their t-shirts that are L/XL fit me perfectly though. Their pants though, forget about it

[elite2kr]

Material items suck, thats why i own very very little

[JDawg1536]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076...lance&n=283155

I used to be the same way. Id spend any money I had, and went into credit card debt. Read this, you wont spend as much lol.

[cfiler]

You work hard for your money, and want to reward yourself. Nothing wrong with that. Try rewarding yourself with other things though. Maybe focus on traveling? Investing some money would be a good idea. It doesn't have to be in the stock market, but it could be into a home. You could also invest more money into your buisness. You could open a new locatation or broaden your market.

[SVTMuscle*]

Yeah I always could increase my locations instead of my garage and driveway haha.

[THE_DOME]

I'm not spoiled by any means, I have 4 jobs. I watch the show Entourage, and just wish I could live like that. And feel so bored with life.

I'm a personal trainer
I'm a manager at GNC
I operate my own auto-detailing buisness
and
I work in the cash office at a grocery market in my town. I work about 45-50 hours a week. So if Im not in the gym, I'm working. so DO NOT say i'm spoiled.

SVT i know how you are feeling , that show entourage is hella tight wish i had that life.

[chest6]

yea nuthin at that damn banana republic store fits me..

[SVTMuscle*]

SVT i know how you are feeling , that show entourage is hella tight wish i had that life.

Totally! I really need to become an actor, or at least a friend of one haha